With Gabon looking to diversify sources of growth and ensure sustainable development, the government has set ambitious goals for developing the tourism industry, and aims to attract 100,000 visitors annually by 2020. Ecotourism, a key component of the Green Gabon strategy, one of the three main pillars of President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s Emerging Gabon...
As protests spread across much of the Arab world in early 2011, Egypt’s tourism sector braced for a challenging year. Few, however, realised just how difficult it would be. According to the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), arrivals were down 33%, revenues dropped by 30% and the number of nights spent in the country by tourists fell 22%. However, Egypt’s...
When asked about 2011, Egypt’s former minister of tourism, Mounir Fakhri AbdelNour, is candid: “It would be an understatement to say it was a difficult year.” The same holds true for the millions of Egyptians who rely on tourism for their livelihoods. More than any other sector of the economy, tourism has suffered from the ongoing political...
Renowned for its stability and rapid economic growth fuelled by exporting commodities and foreign direct investment, Ghana hopes to capitalise on its image as a well-managed and peaceful West African state to further develop its tourism industry. The sector is buoyed by an increasing number of business travellers and is continuing to diversify its...
Following parliamentary approval of the 2011 Tourism Bill, the transformation of the Ghana Tourism Board into a fully fledged, income-generating authority is a promising step for the sector. Private players and public sector officials are hoping that the radical changes will increase funding and facilitate the implementation of a new orientation...
The annual water festival of Songkran stands out as Thailand’s most renowned celebration and remains a draw for visitors. The traditional New Year for Thais, Songkran is the Sanskrit word meaning “to move into” as the three-day festival marks the move into a new solar year. The celebrations are now observed nationwide, including in the Muslim-...
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